When business leaders consider relocating their companies to another state or community, one factor that is often considered is the quality and reputation of higher education institutions in the potential relocation site. This is often a factor for three reasons. First, business leaders desire access to quality higher education for their own families and the families of their employees. Second, business leaders recognize that top universities can provide businesses with a range of support services and with a readily available pool of well-educated potential employees. Third, high-quality, major universities provide their surrounding communities with a wealth of opportunities that positively impact quality of life.

In each of these three areas of interest, UNM's capabilities have grown dramatically in recent years. For this reason, UNM is now positioned to serve as a magnet for businesses that are considering relocation to New Mexico.

A. The Growth in UNM's Quality and Reputation

Over the past five years, UNM's national reputation as a leading public university has grown dramatically, as the quality of the institution has risen. Evidence for this rise in quality and recognition can be found in the following kinds of indicators:

1. Since 1995 the reputation of UNM's faculty has risen significantly. Currently the faculty include a Nobel laureate, a MacArthur Fellow, four members of the National Academies of Sciences and Engineering, five NSF Presidential Young Investigators, two American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellows, and more than a hundred faculty who have won Fulbright Fellowships or have been selected as Fellows in their national professional societies

. 2. Since 1995 the number of nationally ranked academic programs at UNM has risen from less than five to more than 25.

3. For five consecutive years UNM has been selected as one of the country's "100 best buys" in higher education.

4. Currently, UNM's General Library is ranked 57th among the research libraries in North America.

5. During the decade of the 90s UNM became the leading university in the country in terms of growth in federal research funding.

6. In a recent study of the nation's public research universities, UNM ranked 29th in the country in terms of the quality and the impact of the research it produces. This same study referred to UNM as one of the fastest rising public universities in the country today.

7. Since 1998, nine UNM students have competed successfully for Rhodes, Marshall, Truman, or Goldwater scholarships-the nation's most competitive and prestigious academic awards.

B. Support for Business Activities

Throughout this report, we have documented the role UNM plays in preparing significant numbers of students for professional careers and for other employment opportunities. We have also enumerated the variety of units on our campus that support business in the creation of marketing, financial services and other business plans, as well as units that assist business by providing data and information that can be used for planning purposes.

C. Quality of Life

Within the Community Central to the University's mission, is UNM's positive interaction with the citizens of the entire state of New Mexico. In addition to our educational and research offerings, as part of our public responsibility, we deliver many services such as continuing education, health care, social services, volunteer work through services learning programs, and access to resources such as museums, libraries, and cultural events. What follows are a few examples of the ways in which UNM contributes to quality of life enhancement:

1. The UNM Health Sciences Center and UNM Hospital serve as one of the state's chief providers of high-quality, cost-effective health care. UNM Hospital is the site of the state's only Level I trauma center, a highly-regarded neonatal intensive care center, a state-of the art cancer research and treatment center, and the state's most comprehensive group of tertiary care specialists. It is also the state's largest single provider of health care to indigent patients. In 1999-2000 the UNM Health Sciences Center recorded 643,494 outpatient visits and 131,601 inpatient days.

2. The UNM Libraries provide the broader community with access to the most varied and extensive library resources in New Mexico.

3. Each year UNM bring to the campus an extensive series of nationally recognized speakers whose presentations are open to the general public. This past year, for example, a series of public lectures was given by Nobel Peace Prize recipients.

4. UNM's Maxwell Museum, the UNM Art Museum, the Raymond Jonson Gallery, the Meteoritics Museum, and other smaller museum facilities on campus are visited by thousands of school children and adults annually.

5. An outstanding series of plays, concerts, and lectures are offered at UNM's Popejoy Hall each year for the campus community and the general public. During FY 2001, 257,069 people attended Popejoy Hall events.

6. Last year University Arena was the site of the Gathering of Nations, Mariachi Spectacular, and major musical concerts.

7. UNM sponsors and manages Lodestar (a major set of astronomy exhibits) at the Albuquerque Museum of Natural History.

8. The unique architecture and landscape of the UNM campus draws thousands of tourists, school children, and other visitors each year.

9. UNM's NCAA Division I Athletics Programs provide the community with a variety of outstanding sports competitions.

10. UNM's management of KNME television provides the community with an exceptional public television station.

D. Collaboration with Albuquerque Economic Development

Given UNM's growing importance to business executives who are considering relocation to New Mexico, Albuquerque Economic Development has now begun to enlist the University's support in its efforts to attract new business to Albuquerque. UNM is called upon to make presentations to prospective business executives, to provide written materials concerning the University, to host prospective business leaders at University events, and to provide data on the potential pool of employees a given employer might find available within the community. Two companies UNM helped to bring to Albuquerque are Gap Inc., (startup date Fall 2001), a San Francisco-based specialty apparel retailer that will employ approximately 300 financial and human resources personnel, and Eclipse Aviation (startup date of May 2000), a manufacturer of personal jets, that is expected to employ 2000 people by the year 2007.

© Copyright 2001, The University of New Mexico.